SPL - Dons sound warning over Grimmer exit

Wed, 18 Jan 13:35:00 2012

Aberdeen chief executive Duncan Fraser believes Jack Grimmer's decision to quit Pittodrie for Fulham is bad news for Scottish football as a whole.

Pittodrie Stadium - 0

The Premier League club have confirmed the 17-year-old midfielder will join their development squad for the remainder of the season, having signed a deal until 2015, and the Dons claim his departure is another worrying example of young talent being lured south of the border by wealthy English clubs.

Fraser told his club's official website: "There is a bigger issue here for the SPL and Scottish football in that we are beginning to see young Scottish talent moving south before they have fully developed with the teams they signed for as youngsters."

He added: "The economic climate means nurturing home talent is the only way forward for all clubs in this country.

"However, if, after investing huge sums bringing youngsters through the ranks, top-flight English clubs can simply sign players for relatively small training compensation levels given the television income in England, and before the players have even had the opportunity to make an impact at top team level, then we have real challenges ahead of us.

"It is an issue we will seek to raise with the SPL and the SFA to see what further steps can be taken to safeguard our clubs' interests.

"In terms of this particular transfer we received full value on the training compensation side, while agreeing to further add-on terms in order to allow the player to move south before his contract expired in the summer, as it is in everyone's best interests to bring this matter to a conclusion."

The midfielder was the youngest Aberdeen first-team player when he made his debut against Rangers in April 2010, aged just 16 years, two months and 13 days old, and Fraser added: "While we made Jack an extremely good offer to remain at Pittodrie, having signed him straight from school, he has chosen to move on.

"When Craig (Brown, manager) and I met with Jack recently, Craig emphasised that he would continue to be developed by being involved with the first team with a view to him becoming a first-team squad member next season.

"From a football perspective, everyone at the club hoped that he should remain with the club to complete his development, which we believe in the long term would have been in his best interests. However, in the end, he and his advisor thought otherwise. It was clear that a decision to move south was already the preferred option which is disappointing."

PA Sport

Comment 1 - 11 of 11

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  1. #9 Sherbet_dick !!

    Why are you on an Aberdeen page­ ???

    Can't work the computer keyboard eh?
    You­ should have gone to school !

    TIT !

    From You know I am right, on Thu 19 Jan 4:34

  2. @ horsewithnomane, what you say is very true as regards­ his football education, that goes without saying. My­ points would be: 1 if they get the breaks at a higher­ level (in any country) the international side will­ benefit, for sure, 2 if the Scottish game does not have­ young exciting players (say 18-25) it's hard to get­ the young fans on the fringes of watching games to­ commit to following their respective teams, keeping­ crowd numbers up rather than seeing it dying on­ it's feet as it is now, 3 playing football in the­ Scottish leagues full or part-time should be something­ to be proud of, being Scottish, working in Scotland­ should be a sourse of pride for people. Anyway­ that's a sttory for another day.

    From Michael Carton, on Thu 19 Jan 2:04

  3. Rabiu Ibrahim signed for the hoops. This bhoy will run­ amok in the SPL HAIL HAIL
    GLASGOWS GREEN AND WHITE

    From sherbet_d, on Thu 19 Jan 2:04

  4. #7 Michael I share your fears but he will still be­ Scottish and might get a better football education.

    From horsewithnomane, on Thu 19 Jan 1:43

  5. Bad news for ALL Scottish teams and Scottish football­ in general. Young exciting players are what we­ 'supporters' want to pay and see. They're­ the ones our kids look up to and our international side­ would benifit from in the future. Crazy!!!

    From Michael Carton, on Thu 19 Jan 1:24

  6. #5 Duncan. Gaelic, Donnchadh. Meaning brown warrior. ­ You would blend in nicely in the place of manure.

    From horsewithnomane, on Thu 19 Jan 1:15

  7. Pittodrie....Pictish for "Place of manure"

    From Duncan, on Thu 19 Jan 0:54

  8. You just don't get it obi do you?

    Not quite­ content with spouting your myopic views in capitals­ though, you've taken the time to thumb me down­ though.... predictable!

    From Lysdexic., on Thu 19 Jan 0:25

  9. The lad has dreams and ambitions which, let's face­ it, Aberdeen F.C. will never realise. DON'T HOLD­ THE LAD BACK - LET HIM HAVE HIS CHANCE.

    From obiwanking, on Thu 19 Jan 0:05

  10. oh well i guess our league isnt so bad after all since­ the english based clubs keep taking our players, and­ for a nation bigger than scotland its really bad that­ england still cant produce their own talent!

    From Ian, on Wed 18 Jan 23:58
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Yep, they're taking or talent away even earlier­ now, and our clubs won't even benefit from­ development compensation.

    From Lysdexic., on Wed 18 Jan 22:21
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